A Measureless Peril : America in the Fight for the Atlantic, the Longest Battle of World War II

Of all the threats that faced his country in World War II, Winston Churchill said, just one really scared him what he called the "measureless peril" of the German U-boat campaign.In that global conflagration, only one battle, the struggle for the Atlantic lasted from the very first hours of the conflict to its final day. Hitler knew that victory depended on controlling the sea-lanes where American food and fuel and weapons flowed to the Allies. At the start, U-boats patrolled a few miles off the eastern seaboard, savagely attacking scores of defenseless passenger ships and merchant vessels while hastily converted American cabin cruisers and fishing boats vainly tried to stop them. Before long, though, the United States was ramping up what would be the greatest production of naval vessels the world had ever known. Then the battle became a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between the quickly built U.S. warships and the ever-more cunning and lethal U-boats. The historian Richard Snow captures all the drama of the merciless contest at every level, from the doomed sailors on an American freighter defying a German cruiser, to the amazing Allied attempts to break the German naval codes, to Winston Churchill pressing Franklin Roosevelt to join the war months before Pearl Harbor (and FDR’s shrewd attempts to fight the battle alongside Britain while still appearing to keep out of it). Inspired by the collection of letters that his father sent his mother from the destroyer escort he served aboard, Snow brings to life the longest continuous battle in modern times. With its vibrant prose and fast-paced action,__A Measureless Peril__is an immensely satisfying account that belongs on the small shelf of the finest histories ever written about World War II. "What's the matter with the Davis?" : Looking back on the Atlantic struggle Flower show : the dangerous state of the U.S. Navy on the eve of war, 1939 Too dumb to stay on the farm : the making of a sailor, 1940 Building Hitler's navy : superbattleships vs. submarines, 1933-39 "The simple principle of fighting several steamers with several U-boats" : Captain Doenitz works out his strategy, 1918-39 On the devil's shovel : U-boat life, 1939-45 The end of the Athenia : the sea war begins, 1939 Captain Gainard's killer dillers : an American freighter comes to the rescue, 1939 Prison ship : the difficulties of keeping out of the war, 1939-40 The neutrality patrol : guarding the Western hemisphere, 1939-40 "A new chapter of world history " : the destroyer deal goes forward, 1940 Doenitz goes to France : Germany builds her Biscay U-boat bases, 1940 Germany first : planning America's naval war, 1940 A length of garden hose : FDR sells Lend-Lease, 1940 Fishing trip : Churchill and Roosevelt meet, 1941 The moving square mile : learning and relearning the lessons of convoy, 1917-41 The rattlesnakes of the Atlantic : America's first losses, 1941 A present in the Führer's lap : Hitler declares war, 1941 Five boats against America : the East Coast submarine offensive, 1942 The most even-tempered man in the Navy : Admiral King in command, 1942 The hooligan navy : yachts and cabin cruisers go to war, 1942 Panic party : the "mystery ship" fiasco, 1942 Cadet O'Hara's last fight : the naval armed guard and the ordeal of the Stephen Hopkins, 1942 "Start swinging, lady" : the Liberty ships, 1941-45 A visit to the ship cemetery : desperate times on the Eastern seaboard, 1943 "Sighted sub" : a little good news, 1943 How Lieutenant Snow got to sea : a reserve officer's journey, 1943 The smallest major war vessel : inventing the destroyer escort, 1942 "Set the watch" : the birth of a warship, 1943 The hearbeat of the pings : the importance of sonar, 1941-45 "How many Germans will it kill?" : Learning to use radar, 1940-43 The fleet without a gun : Admiral King remakes his command, 1943 Steaming as before : the essence of Atlantic duty, 1943-45 Combustible, vulnerable, and expendable : the escort carrier joins the fight, 1944 Captain Just's last flight : the final days of the Kriegsmarine, 1945 Do hostilities ever cease? : After the convoys, 1945 When daylight comes : from then to now

of All The Threats That Faced His Country In World War Ii, Winston Churchill Said, Just One Really Scared Him—what He Called The Measureless Peril Of The German U-boat Campaign.

in That Global Conflagration, Only One Battle—the Struggle For The Atlantic—lasted From The Very First Hours Of The Conflict To Its Final Day. Hitler Knew That Victory Depended On Controlling The Sea-lanes Where American Food And Fuel And Weapons Flowed To The Allies. At The Start, U-boats Patrolled A Few Miles Off The Eastern Seaboard, Savagely Attacking Scores Of Defenseless Passenger Ships And Merchant Vessels While Hastily Converted American Cabin Cruisers And Fishing Boats Vainly Tried To Stop Them. Before Long, Though, The United States Was Ramping Up What Would Be The Greatest Production Of Naval Vessels The World Had Ever Known.

then The Battle Became A Thrilling Cat-and-mouse Game Between The Quickly Built U.s. Warships And The Ever-more Cunning And Lethal U-boats. The Historian Richard Snow Captures All The Drama Of The Merciless Contest At Every Level, From The Doomed Sailors On An American Freighter Defying A German Cruiser, To The Amazing Allied Attempts To Break The German Naval Codes, To Winston Churchill Pressing Franklin Roosevelt To Join The War Months Before Pearl Harbor (and Fdr’s Shrewd Attempts To Fight The Battle Alongside Britain While Still Appearing To Keep Out Of It).

inspired By The Collection Of Letters That His Father Sent His Mother From The Destroyer Escort He Served Aboard, Snow Brings To Life The Longest Continuous Battle In Modern Times.

With Its Vibrant Prose And Fast-paced Action, a Measureless Peril is An Immensely Satisfying Account That Belongs On The Small Shelf Of The Finest Histories Ever Written About World War Ii.

the New York Times - Evan Thomas

…evocative And At Times Moving…snow Writes With Verve And A Keen Eye. He Is A Kind Of John Mcphee Of Combat At Sea, Finding Humanity In The Small, Telling Details Of Duty.

An exciting history told with a novelist's eye and filled with intimate details of the longest and largest battle of WWII—the fight for the Atlantic Ocean. Of all the threats that faced his country in World War II, Winston Churchill said, just one really scared him—what he called the "measureless peril" of the German U-boat campaign. In that global conflagration, only one battle—the struggle for the Atlantic—lasted from the very first hours of the conflict to its final day. Hitler knew that victory depended on controlling the sea-lanes where American food and fuel and weapons flowed to the Allies. At the start, U-boats patrolled a few miles off the eastern seaboard, savagely attacking scores of defenseless passenger ships and merchant vessels while hastily converted American cabin cruisers and fishing boats vainly tried to stop them. Before long, though, the United States was ramping up what would be the greatest production of naval vessels the world had ever known. Then the battle became a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between the quickly built U.S. warships and the ever-more cunning and lethal U-boats. The historian Richard Snow captures all the drama of the merciless contest at every level, from the doomed sailors on an American freighter defying a German cruiser, to the amazing Allied attempts to break the German naval codes, to Winston Churchill pressing Franklin Roosevelt to join the war months before Pearl Harbor (and FDR’s shrewd attempts to fight the battle alongside Britain while still appearing to keep out of it). Inspired by the collection of letters that his father sent his mother from the destroyer escort he served aboard, Snow brings to life the longest continuous battle in modern times. With its vibrant prose and fast-paced action, A Measureless Peril is an immensely satisfying account that belongs on the small shelf of the finest histories ever written about World War II. Of all the threats that faced his country in World War II, Winston Churchill said, just one really scared him what he called the "measureless peril" of the German U-boat campaign. In that global conflagration, only one battle, the struggle for the Atlantic lasted from the very first hours of the conflict to its final day. Hitler knew that victory depended on controlling the sea-lanes where American food and fuel and weapons flowed to the Allies. At the start, U-boats patrolled a few miles off the eastern seaboard, savagely attacking scores of defenseless passenger ships and merchant vessels while hastily converted American cabin cruisers and fishing boats vainly tried to stop them. Before long, though, the United States was ramping up what would be the greatest production of naval vessels the world had ever known. Then the battle became a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between the quickly built U.S. warships and the ever-more cunning and lethal U-boats. The historian Richard Snow captures all the drama of the merciless contest at every level, from the doomed sailors on an American freighter defying a German cruiser, to the amazing Allied attempts to break the German naval codes, to Winston Churchill pressing Franklin Roosevelt to join the war months before Pearl Harbor (and FDRs shrewd attempts to fight the battle alongside Britain while still appearing to keep out of it). Inspired by the collection of letters that his father sent his mother from the destroyer escort he served aboard, Snow brings to life the longest continuous battle in modern times. With its vibrant prose and fast-paced action, A Measureless Peril is an immensely satisfying account that belongs on the small shelf of the finest histories ever written about World War II. Of all the threats that faced his country in World War II, Winston Churchill said, just one really scared him -- what he called the "measureless peril" of the German U-boat campaign. In that global conflagration, only one battle -- the struggle for the Atlantic -- lasted from the very first hours of the conflict to its final day. Hitler knew that victory depended on controlling the sea lanes where American food and fuel and weapons flowed to the Allies. At the start, U-boats patrolled a few miles off the eastern seaboard, savagely attacking scores of defenseless passenger ships and merchant vessels while hastily converted American cabin cruisers and fishing boats vainly tried to stop them. Before long, though, the United States was ramping up what would be the greatest production of naval vessels the world had ever known. Then the battle became a thrilling cat-and-mouse game between the quickly built U.S. warships and the ever more cunning and lethal U-boats. The historian Richard Snow captures all the drama of the merciless contest at every level, from the doomed sailors on an American freighter defying a German cruiser, to the amazing Allied attempts to break the German naval codes, to Winston Churchill pressing Franklin Roosevelt to join the war months before Pearl Harbor (and FDR's shrewd attempts to fight the battle alongside Britain while still appearing to keep out of it). Inspired by the collection of letters that his father sent his mother from the destroyer escort he served aboard, Snow brings to life the longest continuous battle in modern times. - Jacket flap. In "A Measureless Peril," the historian Richard Snow captures all the drama of the merciless contest between the quickly built U.S. warships and the ever-more cunning and lethal U-boats that controlled the sea lanes of the Atlantic during WWII. Captures the drama of the battle for the Atlantic during World War II, recreating merciless attacks by German U-boats, as well as the cunning cat-and-mouse game between quickly built American destroyers and the lethal U-boats.